The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1887-05-12
TIE NATURAL METHOD,

Is what Professor Heness, Of Yale Col.
lege, calls his mode Of teaching the Ger
man language. He begins with his
pupils as II they were children, and
wanted to learn them TO talk. Perhaps
the learned man has q new class Of
y"uDgsters before him, and selElng the
fOreAnger Of his left hand with the
fingers Of his right, he says:
"Was ist dasp" lssE3sCJESSSSS9sI ~
If there Is no reply, he adds, 'Das ist
elm Finger" now WAS ist dss?"
"Das ist elm Finger" the class answer
in chorus.
The conversation goes on, taking 10
all the fingers, the hands, arms, etc.
A correspondent Of the N. Y. World
gives an account Of one lesson when he
was present:
Suddenly the Professor picked up a
small book from the table and said:
"Was ist dasp"
"Das lst elm Buch," replied one Of the
students.
"Ksnnst du das Bach fangenT asked
the Professor.
'Ich k4nn das Buch fangen," rejoined
the third student In the line.
Then the Professor, with merry gilt.
ter In his eye, raised his arm and hurled
the little book at the agile student, cry
ing at the same time, Fang das Buch."
The young man (whO for all / know is
the catcher on some college "nine')
caught the volume and exclaimed jubil.
sntly: "Ioh fange das BUch.'
INIT was fanRet du das Buch?" asked
the Professor.
There was moments hesitation, dur
ing which you could almost see the
brains Of the students working under
their cOmely scalps, and then one Of
them replied: "Ich fange das Buch NIT
den Fingern."
Now do not pretend to any especial
oleVerness, but II hadn't been able to
understand every word Of that cOnversa.
tion I would have gone out and lesped
into eternity from the beetling bluffs Of
East Rock. You couldn't help under.
standing 1t. But then the conversation
became more intricate.
INIT was kannst du fanRen p said the
Professor.
''Ich kan fangen NIT den Fingern,"
was the reply. The Professor then
raised his hand as II he desired the
student to return the book, but Just as
the student was to throw II to him he
said, "Was whilst du NIT dem Buch?"
"Ich will das Buch"-Here the student
hesitstsd.
"Werten," supplied the Professor.
"lch weTfe das Buch," corrected the
Professor, OF course l was a little at
sea at this point, but then 1t must be
remembered that this was my fret les
sou. (FOr the spelling Of the above sen.
fences am indebted to a German
friend) And 80 the lessen progressed,
and when 1t was over my head ached,
but felt had learned more German in
that hour than had supposed 1t possi.
BILE to learn In week.
And now, as said at the beginning
OF this article. the class had gone to
well earned midday meal, and / was left
alone with the famous founder o. the
natural method of teaching languages
In this country, and bent upon inter
viewing him for the benefit Of the read
ers Of The World.
1t was then he asked me II could
whistle Yankee Doodle" OF course
told him / could. Then said he: "How
did you learn to do itp DID you secure
a copy CT the score and memOrize the
position Of each note on the staff and
Its relation to the note preceding and
following itp Did you learn 'YsLkee
Doodle BY the rules Of musical gram
marT
OF course We both laughed at this,
and thea Prof. Heness made the remark
which greatly impressed me. "T0 teach
language by books Is q contradiction of
terms. Language" he continued, "is
learned by the joint use of all the senses;
the mere visual sense will not teach IL y